1. INTRODUCTION

Massive stocking of the open waters with nursery raised fingerlings and large-scale expansion of fish culture are two important strategies currently adopted in Bangladesh for increasing fish production. As a matter of policy, large size fingerling is being used for both open water stocking as well as pond aquaculture.

Implementation of Asian Development Bank and World Bank sponsored Second and Third Fisheries Projects which has started stocking of fingerling in flood plains for rearing of market size fish has created a new demand for carp seed. These new projects stipulate that the number of 10–12 cm size fingerling to be released in open waters every year about 400–500 million. To achieve this target, private sector should significantly increase its fingerling production for supply to these projects. Moreover, technology of fingerling rearing as used now, in private sector, should be changed because for stocking in the natural waters, the fingerling should be reared at least up to 10–12 cm size.

In some areas of the country (particularly in Jessore) private farmers are using effective methods and getting excellent results in producing of small size fingerling in multicrop system, but multicycle production of large size fingerling is not carried out at any part of the country. Moreover, in general, the present fry/fingerling production technology is characterized by inadequate pond preparation, improper manuring and supply of poor quality feed. (Production data of fish seed producers of the country are given in Table 1.) Further, the presently used management methods are not suitable for full utilization of production capacity of broodfish. With the improvement of broodfish preparation methodology the breeding season may be prolonged, facilitating multicycle production of fish seed.

TABLE 1
PRODUCTION DATA OF FISH SEED PRODUCERS*

* DoF source.

To facilitate the implementation of new targets of fish production the effective methods of fish seed production are summarized in this manual.